Quick News
.
  • Volunteer with MSNA this February! Did you know 1 in 5 Minnesota families can’t afford the groceries they need? You can help. MSNA is partnering with Second Harvest Heartland on February 19 to help hungry neighbors. Learn more and sign-up to volunteer (free) here.
  • Could your school be a winner? MDE's third annual 'Say Yes! to School Meals' Photo Contest is accepting your great lunch and breakfast photos. All entries must be received by February 9. View the 2025 winners here.
  • Stay up-to-date on advocacy efforts: Read the MSNA 2026 Position Paper, as well as SNA's Position Paper and the SY 2025-26 School Nutrition Trends Report, an analysis of survey responses from 1,240 SN Directors nationwide. 
  • Looking for CEUs and fresh ideas to bring to your program? Bookmark SNA's on-demand library, complete with 17 webinars from 2025 and more.
  • Check out MSNA's Year-In-Review through photos. View the poster here.
  • Act now on the Farm to School bills: Urge your legislators to pass increased funding for the Farm to School program and visit SNA’s federal legislation tracker for a complete list of federal bills impacting school meal programs.
  • Never miss an MSNA newsletter: Check out past MSNA Minutes and monthly happenings here.
  • Wishing you had resources to better promote your school’s meal program? Our brand new Communication Resources page offers ready-to-use tools like social media graphics, talking points, and quick promotional tips to help you showcase the value of school meals and membership with ease.
  • Interested in serving on an MSNA committee? Learn more about MSNA's Annual Conference, SNIP, and Public Policy committee, and let us know you're interested in serving as a volunteer. 
  • Help encourage families to complete the Application for Educational Benefits. MDE has provided resources you can share in your schools and to your families. Check out the flyers, posters, graphics, and social media captions in the Fill the Form toolkit.
  • Stay up-to-date on all-things legislative: Bookmark SNA's advocacy webpage and sign up to receive their Tuesday Morning newsletter.

Member Spotlight

Tracy Smith, Food Service Coordinator at Burnsville-Eagan-Savage ISD 191. To read past member spotlights, click here. 

Nominate a Colleague You Admire!

Help recognize the hard work of our colleagues in the school nutrition profession who go above and beyond. The MSNA and SNA Awards programs highlight the outstanding and important work of our members and state affiliates. Members and state associations are eligible for a variety of honors that recognize their achievements in school foodservice, leadership, membership recruitment and professional development. Nominations for 2026 will open early 2026.

MSNA Members in the News

1/22: MSNA Vice President and Nutrition Services Specialist for ISD 196 Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, Ross Larson, kicked off the new year with WCCO, sharing popular meals from their district and what makes their program unique. Watch Ross' Interview here.

1/15-1/16: MSNA board members Glen Ritter, Ashley Schneider and Ross Larson attended the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) conference, where they joined St. Michael-Albertville School District Superintendent Dr. Ann-Marie Foucault hosting a roundtable on “Stretching Your School Lunch Dollar.” View the photos on LinkedIn and Facebook.

10/17: As part of National Farm to School Month, Jennifer Walters, Winona Area Public Schools’ nutrition director, hosted lawmakers, farmers and representatives from MDA and MDE to show how state investment has helped to transform school meals in the district. Read the article here.

10/16: To wrap up National School Lunch Week, MSNA President Glen Ritter joined WCCO & CBS News Minnesota to showcase how schools across the state celebrated nutritious and culturally diverse meals all week long.

10/13: To kick off National School Lunch Week, MSNA Secretary Jess Peña from Red Wing Public Schools joined FOX 9 Good Day to showcase the delicious, nutritious meals served in schools across the state every day.

9/11: MSNA President, Glen Ritter, was installed during the MSNA Annual Conference in August. Learn more about Glen's background and aspirations for his presidency in this Press & News article.

9/9: Ashley Schneider, MSNA President-elect and Director of Food Services for Moorhead Area Schools, joined FOX 9 to discuss school meal guidelines and the creativity of school meal programs.

Find past news stories here!